Coating applicator



May 26, 1964 E. A. HORN COATING APPLICATOR Filed June 19, 1961 UnitedStates Patent 3,134,124 CQATING APPLICATGR Erwin A. Horn, 630 E. ArborVitae, Inglewood, Calif. Filed June 19, 196i, Ser. No. 117,991 1 Claim.(Ql. -244) This invention relates to a coating applicator which can beused to apply various coatings such as paints, varnishes, and the like.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a coating applicator ofsuch inexpensive construction that it may be discarded or disposed ofafter use. Coatings have heretofore been applied by conventional paintbrushes consisting essentially of a handle to which bristles are securedin various manners. The usual cost of a paint brush is such that theaverage person is reluctant to discard it after it has been used andundertakes to clean the bristles of the brush for an anticipatedsucceeding use. Because of the fact that the bristles are so closetogether it is frequently dilficult to thoroughly clean them.

In accordance with the present invention the applicator consists of ahandle on which is mounted in preferably a detachable manner of flexibleand compressible sponge-like head. The head can be dipped into a supplyof liquid coating such as paint or varnish and can be manipulated in thesame manner as a conventional paint brush in applying the coating to aselected surface. On completion of the application of the coating thespongelike head can be removed from the handle and discarded and a newone applied to the handle at the time of a successive use.

More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide a coatingapplicator having the above-mentioned characteristics wherein a portionof the handle extends into a recess formed in the end of the sponge-likehead. This portion is characterized by the fact that it is laterallyfiexible but progressively decreases in stiffness from the mentioned endof the head toward the other. Conse quently, in manipulating theapplicator the action of the handle and the head closely resembles thefeel of a conventional paint brush. While a stiff or non-flexible handlemight be employed, such handles when employed have the disadvantage thatonly that portion of the sponge-like head that projects beyond the endof the handle is free to flex. Furthermore, with prolonged use the endof a still or non-flexible handle tends to wear through a side of thehead.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be mademanifest in the following detailed description and specifically pointedout in the appended claims, reference is had to the accompanyingdrawings for an illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a coating applicator embodying thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section taken substantially upon the line 2-2 uponFIG. 1 in the direction indicated;

FIG. 3 is a partial view in vertical section taken substantially uponthe line 3-3 upon FIG. 2, in the direction indicated; and

PEG. 4 is a partial view similar to PEG. 2, but illustrating the actionof the head and the handle in the course of use.

Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein similar referencecharacters designate similar parts throughout, the improved applicatorcomprises a sponge-like head 10 preferably having a flat upper end 11and a tapered or wedge-shaped lower end 12 terminating in a central edge13. This head is formed of flexible and compressible cellularsponge-like material. A very inexpensive material which I prefer to useis flexible polyurethane foam as this material is relatively inert tothe solvents used in most coatings, such as paints and varnishes.Equivalent cellular materials or sponge-like ma terials can be employedif desired. The cells of the cellular head may be of various sizesdepending upon the nature of the coating that is to be applied. Usuallya polyurethane foam having a fine cell structure will be used inapplying varnishes and lacquers, and a coarser cell structure may beemployed in applying paints.

In the upper end 11 a recess 14 is formed in the head which extendsdownwardly toward the lower end 12 through a major portion of thevertical dimension of the head. This recess is to accommodate a bladeportion 15 of a one-piece handle 16 which may be formed of polyethyleneor similar plastic that is likewise inert to the solvents that areusually present in varnishes, lacquers, and paints. The material usedfor the handle may vary considerably but should possess the property ofbeing somewhat flexible particularly if made sufficiently thin. Asillustrated, the upper portion of the handle that extends above theupper end 11 is adequately thick to resist flexure.

The portion 15 which occupies the recess 14 is made somewhat thinner andtapers from the upper end 11 of the head or from the shoulder 17downwardly both in thickness as illustrated in FIG. 2, and in width asillustrated in FIG. 3. The recess 14 tapers in width c0mple mentary tothe taper in width of the handle portion 15, and is widest at its top.These tapers either of which may be used alone, but which are preferablyused together cause the portion 15 to possess the property ofprogressively decreasing in stifiness against lateral bending from theupper end 11 toward the lower end 12. Consequently, at the time of use,as depicted in FIG. 4 not only may the sponge-like head ll) flexlaterally throughout a major portion of its length but the portion 15may also flex somewhat in sympathy therewith. As a means of retainingthe head It! on the handle the side edges of the portion 15 are providedwith upwardly directed teeth or serrations 18 designed to bite into theend walls of the recess to retain the head on the handle. This bite,however, is not suthcient to prevent the head from being forcibly pulledfrom the handle. The upper end of the head ill engages the downwardlyfacing shoulders 17 of the handle.

At the time of use, only the open cells adjacent the surface of the headpick up paint or varnish when dipped therein. These coating materialscan be spread on a surface by the applicator in very much the samemanner as a conventional paint brush and as illustrated in FIG. 4. Asthe portion 15 is laterally flexible with progressively increasingflexibility from top to bottom the feel of the applicator in the courseof painting or varnishing is very much akin to that of a conventionalpaint brush. When the varnishing or painting is completed the head 10,because of its inexpensive construction, can be removed from the handleand discarded and a new head substituted therefor at the time of furtheruse. In actual practice, however, due to the fact that the head islargely composed of open cells, it will be found that if the head ismerely dropped into a container of paint thinner or similar solvent,which is much thinner than paint or varnish, and squeezed out two orthree times, that the coating material within the cells will be quicklyand completely cleaned therefrom so that the same head is susceptible ofsuccessive use.

Various changes rnay be made in the details of construction withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by theappended claim.

I claim:

A coating applicator comprising: a one-piece handle 3 of flexiblematerial having a relatively thick and stifi upper portion by which itmay be grasped and a relatively thin lower blade portion taperinguniformly downwardly both as to thickness and in dimensions from side toside to a relatively thin lower edge so that the lower portion decreasesin its resistance to lateral bending steadily from top to bottom, theupper handle portion presenting downwardly facing shoulders contiguousto the lower handle portion, the side edges only of said lower handleportion having upwardly directed serrations; and a head of flexiblecompressible cellular material of uniform thickness throughout most ofits length and having only its lower portion tapered in thickness to aterminal lower edge, said head having a recess thereinto from its topwhich recess is widest at its top; said lower handle portion beingreceived in said head recess with the lower handle portion serrationsengaging the end walls of the head recess to retain the head on thehandle, said lower 4 handle portion being of such a size that itsubstantially fills said recess and the upper end of said head engagingsaid handle shoulders.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

